Building frame



June 2, 1925.v

S. J. CARHART BUILDING FRAME 3 Sheets;Sheet 1 /%lh ,h M/WA 4/4 y w w l 5 w 7 1 Jtiforrze June 2, 1925.

S. J. CARE-{ART BUILDING FRAME Filed July 2 1923 S 'sheets sheet 2 veal-0r Patented June 2, 1925.

UNITED STATES- f 1 1,540,542 PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN J. CARHABT, OF WATERVLIET, NEW YORK.

BUILDING FRAME.

Application filed July 27, 1923. Serial No. 654,276.

specification. Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

The principal object of this invention 18 to produce a building frame adapted to be combined with other like frames to produce a wall or the like having a substantially continuous outer surface, and of indefinite extent.

Other objects will appear in, connection with the following description.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is avlevv 1n perspective showing several of my Improved building frames as used in constructmg a sign board or the like. 0

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the front side of one of the frames.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the same viewed from the rear.

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of acorner post frame adapted for use in combination with frames like those shown in Flgs. 1

to 3 inclusive.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of a broken away part of a rectangular structure formed by frames like those shown in Flgs. 1 to 3 inclusive, and corner posts like that shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive wherein the invention is shown in preferred form, 1 is a sheet-metal body built to form along one side edge, a flange, 2, and along its other side edge to form a groove, 3, engageable with a like flange on a like frame.

Secured to the back of this sheet-metal body is a reinforcement of rigid material which may be continuous, although to secure lightness, I prefer to make it in the form of a plurality of cross-pieces, one of said cross-pieces, 4, being at one end of the frame, another of said cross-pieces, 5, being at the other end of the frame, and one or more intermediate cross-pieces, as the cross-piece,

6. One of the end cross-pieces, as the cross-' piece, 4, is formed with a flange, 7, which forms in effect a continuation of the side flange, 2.

The other end cross-piece, 5, is formed with a groove, 8, which forms in effect a continuation of the side groove, 3.

The depths of the grooves, 3 and 8, are substantially equal to the width or thickness of the respective flanges, 2 and 7.

The frame above described comprises a unlt adapted to be combined with like units both horizontally and vertically to form a wall of any desired extent having a substantially continuous outer surface. This result is due to the fact that the side groove,

3, of each frame is adapted to be engaged and filled by the side flange, 2, on a like unit,

and the end groove, engaged and filled by a like unit. a

Any desired number of these units may be employed to form a wall or the like of the desired dimensions.

In Fig. 1, I have illustrated the manner in WlllCll the frames are thus combined in forming a wall which may be used for a sign board. The sign board is thus built up upon a frame wor 9, the units being secured n position by nails or the like, 19, drlven through the respective units or frames into members of the framework, 9.

After a sign board of the desired area has been thus constructed the exposed edges of the outermost frames can if desired be covered and concealed by molding strips, 10, nailed or otherwise secured to the respective frames or to the framework, 9, or both.

A sign board thus constructed presents a practically continuous surface adapted either for the painting of a sign thereon or the pasting of a paper sign thereon.

In Fig. 5, I have illustrated the manner inwhich my improved frames are used in producing a structure having two walls at right angles to each other. In this construction, I employ a corner post, 11, having at one corner a flange, 12, and provided at its diagonally opposite corner with a groove,'13.

The depth or width of the flange, 12, is the same as that of the grooves, 3 and a. of the building frames; and the depth of the groove, 13, is the same as the depth or width of the flanges, 2 and 7, of the frames.

The flange, 2, of one of the frames is therefore engageable alternatively with the groove, 13, in the post or a side groove, 3,

8, is adapted to be the end flange, 7, on

in a like frame; and the side groove, 3, in

any of these frames is engageable alterna tively with the flange, 12, on the corner post or a side flange, 2, of a like frame.

The frames can be thus assembled with the corner post and with one another to form two rectangularly arranged walls of any desired extent, and having their outer surfaces substantially continuous to the outer corner of the post.

The reinforce pieces, 4, 5 and 6, may be secured tothe back of the sheet-metal body of the frame by nails, 14, or the like.

The corner post, 11, is preferably-formed of a body of sheet-metal bent to form the corner flange, 12, and the corner groove, 13, which sheet-metal body has one or more reinforcing pieces of rigid material, 15, se cured to the back of the sheet-metal body by nails, 16, or the like.-

For certain purposes of the invention, it is immaterial whether the frames and corner post he formed of sheet-metal bodies with rigid reinforcements at desired intervals, or whether the frames and corner posts be solid bodies.

For certain purposes of the invention the interengaging flanges and grooves may be of any desired cross-sectional form.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A building frame having a body of sheetmetal bent along one side edge to form a flange, and along its'other side edge to form a groove engageable with a like flange on a like frame, a rigid reinforcement secured to the back of said sheet-metal body projecting beyond the ends thereof, one of said projections being formed with a flange and the other being provided with a groove engageable with a like flange on a like frame. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of June, 1923.

STEPHEN J. CARHART. 

